I hope it was worth 300 Irish jobs

I hope making sure AMD doesn't get screwed by Intel was worth 300 Irish jobs. Well done there, Commissioners. The Law of Unintended Consequences strikes again.

Obviously, an attempt to further Tax American company

If the proceeds went to AMD, then the fine would be more appropriate. In this case, this is yet more sour grapes against an American company that is insanely successful. I really don't care in the sense that I have no love for AMD or Intel, and I have no interest in either company. However, the powers that be in the EU would have a lot more credibility if they'd take their 10% commission and then give the rest of the proceeds to the agrieved party.

Frankly, the complaints against Intel appear to be artificial anyway. Any time there is an incredibly successful company/person, there will always be those who want a piece of their wealth.

Send them to jail

Why can't big companies be sent to jail? Banned from trading. A company is made up of people. The actions of a company are directed by people. If a company had its activity completely frozen, worldwide, stock going nowhere, no goods coming in or out of it, or of third parties fulfilling contracts on their behalf ... then that would hurt the people IN the company that are performing the illegal acts in the first place.

As long as money is coming out of a corporate purse with little direct impact on the people themselves, there is no incentive to not perform illegal market acts.

Something along this nature is the only thing that I think could actually make a difference. I wouldn't like to be the person in a marketing department that could likely be linched by all the people from accountancy, packing, HR, IT, shipping, etc. ... they'd all be very angry people who would have no compunction about handing my innarts to the local vultures. (no offence El Reg)

@ StillNoCouch

The US government has been propping up your economy for years, which is why your country is in actuality bankrupt, what with debt at over $2trillion.

And aren't you the country that whines to the WTO when anyone dares to impose import duties on US goods, but refuses to acknowledge any wrong-doing on your own part ? Or how about the gross criminal acts of excluding non-US companies from trading within the US (on-line gambling, anyone) ?

And isn't your banking system only still in existence because of the billions that the Saudi's et al have kept in the banking system ?

And aren't your property prices actually worth anything thanks to the Japanese and Chinese buying all the office blocks and hotels ?

And aren't your military suppliers selling more jets, due to constraining rules being imposed on the EU selling on equipment, that the US allows the companies to do directly ?

Before throwing stones, please check that you aren't living in a glass house.

@StillNoCouch

So you really think that Intel has been fair to their competition then?

You truly believe that Intel telling the IBM's/Dell's/HP's etc of this world that they will loose out financially (they will be charged more by Intel for their chips) if they go with AMD?

AMD is also a US company by the way.

The EU is, in this arena, a very fair system. I do not agree with all the eurocracy but when it comes to justice, there is no substitute. Certainly not in the US as we have already seen what happens with Microsoft and the DOJ's anti-trust case.